1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to feeding and storage of linkless ammunition by means of a storage drum which connects either to a gun magazine or to a replenisher. The replenisher accepts input rounds from a plurality of sources, orienting and entraining the rounds along a conveyor leading to the storage drum. The replenisher likewise accepts and sorts returning rounds, including unfired rounds, live rounds and empty cartridge casings.
2. Prior Art
For feeding rounds to high rate of fire guns, it is known to employ a linkless ammunition carrying arrangement, including a storage drum in which a large number of rounds are stored, means connecting the storage drum to a gun magazine such as in an aircraft, and a conveyor for carrying the rounds in a loop whereby the contents of the storage drum are moved into the gun magazine and the contents of the gun magazine are returned to the storage drum. The linkless rounds conveyed may include live rounds and/or spent rounds, the latter being either or both of unfired live rounds and empty cartridge casings. An example of an ammunition storage drum and conveyor for attaching the ammunition storage drum to a gun magazine are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,696,704-Backus et al; 4,004,490-Dix et al; and, 4,005,633-Kirkpatrick.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,878-Brooks et al, the storage drums of the aforesaid system can be replenished with bulk packaged ammunition, of the type in which each round is alternately oriented to achieve maximum packing density in view of the tapering shape of the rounds (i.e., wider at the base). In the Brooks patent, means are provided for re-orienting the rounds all in the same direction. Rounds are conveyed along a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axes, each round being horizontal and oriented in one direction or the other. Because the center of gravity of the rounds is nearer the nose than the base, the rounds fall one way or the other as a function of their orientation and are thereby sorted. Another example of such a means for re-orienting ammunition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,580Aloi et al, which uses a similar unbalanced process for re-orienting the rounds based upon their center of gravity. Aloi also teaches using such a device to interleave rounds of different types, for example armor piercing, tracer, etc.
The disclosures of the foregoing patents are hereby incorporated.
In relying upon the center of gravity of a round being slightly further towards one end or the other, the prior art re-orienting devices require that the rounds be accurately positioned at the balancing point. It is also helpful if the rounds are moving relatively slowly at the balancing point, or, alternatively, the balancing rail can extend along a substantial linear distance along the path of conveyance. In the present invention, mechanical means are provided positively but selectively to engage the rounds for re-orienting them. This permits a very high speed and very dependable operation, without relying upon balancing the rounds to determine their orientation.
According to the present invention, a replenishing device is provided with externally exposed gear and sprocket configurations similar to those of a gun magazine, whereby the same conveyor mechanism that would connect an ammunition storage drum to the gun magazine can also connect the ammunition storage drum to the replenishing device. This permits the replenisher and ammunition storage drum to be operated synchronously in the same manner that the storage drum and gun magazine are operated synchronously in reloading the gun magazine. Accordingly, the overall process of storing, transporting, reloading and sorting rounds becomes a matter of connecting modular components as required.
According to the present invention, a plurality of different inlets for rounds can be provided around the periphery of a main sprocket assembly, at least one of the inlets including a means for receiving bulk rounds simply poured from an ammunition storage box into a hopper, the rounds then being oriented and fed to the main sprocket assembly. Alternative inlets include a tray for already-oriented rounds, and means for detecting nd filling any gaps which may occur in the stream of rounds.
The replenisher furthermore has a means for receiving rounds returned from the ammunition storage device and separating them into live rounds and empty cartridge casings. Near the end of the transport path along the replenisher, the protective cardboard shipping tubes normally provided on the projectile end of the rounds are stripped axially from the rounds, and collected.
Inasmuch as the replenisher of the invention is a modular component that mechanically and synchronously engages with the storage drum through a conveyor, the replenisher, conveyor and storage drum are all powered from a common drive at the replenisher or at the storage drum end. Protruding wrench-receiving shafts are provided, by which an operator can move rounds around the required circuit by rotating the shaft using a pneumatic wrench, hand crank or the like.
The invention improves the convenience and dependability of ammunition loading, without undue complexity or expense.